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Melrose falls to Reading 35-7 (Sept. 13)
Published September 13, 2024
Teams looks to rebound with Reading after Peabody loss
By JENNIFER GENTILE
THE MELROSE HIGH football team’s home opener is tonight against Reading. Melrose will look to bounce back after a season opener road loss to Peabody. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)
MELROSE—It looks like Melrose High head football coach Tim Morris will have to wait another day to earn his milestone 200 career win.
The Melrose High football team fell in their season opener to Peabody by a score of 34-13 at Coley Lee Field in Peabody on Sept. 7. Tonight (Friday), they host Reading in their home opener in a classic match up against the Rockets, which could give coach Morris an opportunity to clinch his 200th career win as MHS coach.
But it was an uphill effort last Friday in Peabody. Melrose was up against a well -sized, defensively strong Tanner squad, a Div. 2 team who won 10 games in 2023, who just may be a team to contend with come playoff time. Despite the loss, Melrose will likely get power rating value in MIAA rankings for improving their strength of schedule this season.
While Melrose’s Max Lanciani had a great night with two touchdowns, and Melrose quarterback Jack Feeney was overall solid (15-28, 125 yds, including a 30-yard rush) the Tanners held Melrose scoreless in the second half with 27 unanswered points in a rowdy and well-attended environment which silenced Melrose’s offense in the third and fourth quarters.
Melrose got on the board first, scoring on their first possession with a 10 play, 67-yard touchdown drive fueled by Lanciani, who found the end zone on a 8 yard run to make the game 7-0 early.
The Tanners would tie things up on a 60-yard drive that culminated in a Gabe Santos touchdown to tie things up at 7 each. Santos would be a menace for Melrose over the night with three touchdowns.
Before the end of the first quarter, Melrose would score again on a 55-yard drive that was topped off by a 6-yard Lanciani TD run. A faulty point-after kick kept Melrose just ahead by 13-7. And it would be tied up following a 60-yard kickoff return by Peabody on their next possession that set them up in the red zone. Peabody’s Santos would find the end zone again and make it a 14-13 game. Right before the half, Melrose punted to the Peabody four-yard line but a 50-yard Luke Maglione pass to Tyler Rappold opened up what would be a 96 yard touchdown drive by Peabody. Santos once again found the end zone for another touchdown right before halftime, putting the Tanners up 21-13 at the break.
That would set the tone for the rest of the night.
Melrose turned the ball over in the third and Peabody made them pay with a Jayce Jean-Pierre touchdown with 3:17 left in the third. And the Tanners would top that off with a Santos touchdown with just minutes left in the game, for a final score of 34-13.
After this physically challenging dogfight, Melrose looks to rebound this evening (Friday) against Reading at 7:00 p.m. at Fred Green Field.
The meeting comes on the heels of last year’s victory over Reading on the road, 21-20. Last fall was a rebuilding year for the Rockets who filled 17 starting spots and finished a 2-win season without making playoffs. But one weapon in their arsenal is senior Jack Murphy, an experienced quarterback who will be sure to challenge Melrose.
Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. at Melrose’s Fred Green Field.
